State gets temporary custody of dead boy's siblings

Updated 7:05 am, Thursday, January 10, 2013

Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News

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Crystal Williams, stepmother of Josiah Wiliams, who died in December of malnutrition and alleged abuse, appears Wednesday, Jan 9, 2013, before Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in Children's Court for a hearing in which she and Charleston Williams temporarily relinquished custody of their two other children.

Crystal Williams, stepmother of Josiah Wiliams, who died in December of malnutrition and alleged abuse, appears Wednesday, Jan 9, 2013, before Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in Children's Court for a

Charleston Williams, left, and Crystal Williams, right, father and stepmother of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- appear Wednesday Jan 9, 2013, before Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in Children's Court for a hearing in which the couple temporarily relinquished custody of their two other children.

Charleston Williams, left, and Crystal Williams, right, father and stepmother of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- appear Wednesday Jan 9, 2013, before Associate Judge

Charleston Williams, left, and Crystal Williams, second from right,, father and stepmother of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- appear with their lawyers Wednesday Jan 9, 2013, before Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in Children's Court for a hearing in which the couple temporarily relinquished custody of their two other children. less

Charleston Williams, left, and Crystal Williams, second from right,, father and stepmother of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- appear with their lawyers Wednesday Jan ... more

Photo: William Luther, San Antonio Express-News

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Charleston Williams, left, father of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- appears with his lawyer Wednesday Jan 9, 2013, before Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in Children's Court for a hearing in which he and Crystal Williams temporarily relinquished custody of their two other children.

Charleston Williams, left, father of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- appears with his lawyer Wednesday Jan 9, 2013, before Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in

Crystal Williams, stepmother of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- talks Wednesday Jan 9, 2013 with her lawyer, before a hearing in Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in Children's Court for a hearing in which she and Charleston Williams temporarily relinquished custody of their two other children.

Crystal Williams, stepmother of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- talks Wednesday Jan 9, 2013 with her lawyer, before a hearing in Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in

Child Protective Services caseworker Joseluis Morales testifies Wednesday Jan 9, 2013 before Associate Judge Charles Montemayor in Children's Court during a hearing in which Charleston Williams and Crystal Williams, father and stepmother of Josiah Wiliams -- who died in December of malnutrition and likely abuse -- temporarily relinquished custody of their two other children.

Josiah's caregivers — father Charleston Williams, 25, and stepmother Crystal Williams, 27, — kept the child in a closet for extended periods of time and doled out other extreme forms of discipline, the caseworker testified.

They're charged with injury to a child, a first-degree felony, and remain in jail in lieu of posting $75,000 bail.

Police believe the child's stepgrandmother, Gloria Proo, 48, took a lead role in disciplining the child. She was arrested Jan. 3 on the same charge as the couple and also remains jailed.

According to a police affidavit, witnesses saw Proo allegedly grab Josiah by the back of the head and slam it against a wall three times.

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Morales said Josiah's body had multiple bruises, including belt marks, and he appeared to be starved.

Witnesses interviewed by CPS said the child was regularly deprived of food and was only allowed to drink one bottle of water in the morning.

The closet he was kept in revealed bloodstains and holes in the wall the size of a child's head, which investigators suspect were the result of the boy's head being slammed against wall.

Josiah had a laceration around his ears, injuries inside his mouth, two black eyes and a suspected skull fracture, Morales added, but no cause of death has been established.

The medical examiner's office will release an autopsy report in several weeks.

Judge Charles Montemayor on Wednesday granted the state temporary managing conservatorship for Josiah's two surviving siblings, who are in foster care for now.

He also ordered that the 8-year-old boy and 2-year-old girl — who Morales said witnessed the alleged abuse that led to Josiah's death — begin receiving therapy immediately.

Authorities said Charleston and Crystal Williams are the parents of the 2-year-old girl, and Crystal is the mother of the 8-year-old, whose father is unknown.

On Wednesday the judge ruled the couple will not be allowed visitation with the two children until a therapist can determine what effect such contact might have on them.

Family friends told the San Antonio Express-News that Josiah appeared sick and thin at a gathering in November, while the two other children looked healthy.

One man said he tried to contact Josiah over a period of days to help him, but was put off by the boy's guardians, who said Josiah was in trouble and not allowed to talk on the phone or have visitors, according to court documents.

The friends said Crystal Williams “hated” Josiah's biological mother, Carlotta Megan Balezza, and would talk about not wanting to care for the child when he was within earshot.

During the brief hearing, Crystal Williams wept often as she sat next her attorney.

Balezza twice was investigated by CPS, in 2008 and October 2009.

The first case closed with no finding of abuse or neglect, but in the second investigation caseworkers found “reason to believe” she had neglected Josiah. He was placed in a “safety plan” — living with a relative who had been approved by CPS — while she underwent services to get her child back.

Balezza never completed those services and CPS closed the case in August 2010, according to CPS spokeswoman Mary Walker.

At that point, caseworkers stopped their monthly visits to check on Josiah's welfare.

Charleston Williams was granted custody more than two years later, in October, according to court documents.